Since Thursday, September 26th, there have been four, possibly five, murders in the villages of Roaring Creek, Camalote and Teakettle in the Cayo District. Residents of these relatively small communities that sit next to each other are shocked and extremely concerned over the recent spike in violence that have occurred. The Police Department has detained numerous individuals in their investigation of the murders and has since been more visible in the area.

The first murder reported in the area was on Saturday, September 28th. Just before 12:15 p.m. police visited an area known as “The Fall”, situated about 100 yards off a feeder road in the Another World Area of Roaring Creek, where they observed the motionless body of an Asian descent female. According to police report, the body was lying face up on a log. She was dressed in a pink blouse and short blue pants with green flowers on it. Swelling was observed on the center of the forehead, abrasions to the upper right side of the head and right side of temple. Police investigation revealed that at about 11:30 a.m. that day three minors went to swim in the river when they discovered the body floating in the river beside some bushes. They took her out of the water and called the police. The body was identified as 25-year-old Alry Rose Sardido, a Philippine national of Pine Apple Street in Belmopan City. A second body was discovered in the river at about 11:11 a.m. on Monday, September 30th. Police visited an area about a quarter mile from where the Roaring River meets the river behind Guanacaste National Park. There they observed the motionless body of a fair complexion man hooked to a piece of log protruding from the river. The body was observed with large cut wounds on the left side of the back, right side of face and head and one in the center of the head. He was later identified as 63-year-old David Lowel Reichel, an American retiree of Belmopan City. Police believe that both Sardido and Reichel went swimming in The Falls and were then robbed and killed. Multiple individuals have been detained in the double murder and police believe they are close to levying charges.

The third murder occurred about 5 p.m. on Monday evening, September 30th. 27-year-old Camalote resident Juan Carlos Olmedo sold food at the Belmopan market which his common-law-wife, Lorraine Burgess, cooked. He had just returned home on Monday and was talking to Burgess when a masked gunman entered their home from the back. The gunman demanded money and “other stuff”, which police choose not to reveal. Olmedo refused to give the gunman money but Burgess did. The gunman then insisted that they give him the “other stuff” apart from the money and opened fire on Olmedo. He was shot in the chest, face and head. The gunman then exited just as he entered, through the back and into some bushes. Those bushes led to a dirt road called the Hydro Road. The next murder victim was found on the Hydro Road shortly after the shooting of Olmedo. The body of 36-year-old Oscar Benitez, who is deaf and mute, was found on the dirt road with three gunshot wounds to the chest, neck and face. Benitez is Olmedo’s neighbour. Police believe he was riding his beach cruiser bicycle on his way home when he was ambushed and killed by the same individual who killed Olmedo. Belmopan Police are confident that they will catch the killer soon.

Police are also investigating the killing of 49-year-old Pedro Luna from the Arizona area of Teakettle Village. Luna left home on Thursday afternoon, September 26th, and did not return. According to his family, he went to pick contribo which he normally sells at the Belmopan market on Saturdays. The family made a report to police on Friday to record their concern and then an official missing person report on Sunday. Police searched the area for Luna but came up empty. It was not until late Tuesday that their investigation led to a confession from another farmer of the Arizona area. According to reports, the farmer confessed to killing Luna because he found him stealing his crop. Police have not released much on the case up to print time but unofficial reports are that the farmer claims Luna tried to attack him with a machete. That was when he shot and killed Luna then burnt the body. Police investigation into the killing continues.